title: Genome-wide analysis and molecular dissection of the SPL gene family in Salvia miltiorrhiza.
abstract: SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-likes (SPLs) are plant-specific transcription factors playing vital regulatory roles in plant growth and development. There is no information about SPLs in Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), a significant medicinal plant widely used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for >1,700 years and an emerging model plant for TCM studies. Through genome-wide identification and subsequent molecular cloning, we identified a total 15 SmSPLs with divergent sequence features, gene structures, and motifs. Comparative analysis showed sequence conservation between SmSPLs and their Arabidopsis counterparts. A phylogenetic tree clusters SmSPLs into six groups. Many of the motifs identified commonly exist in a group/subgroup, implying their functional redundancy. Eight SmSPLs were predicted and experimentally validated to be targets of miR156/157. SmSPLs were differentially expressed in various tissues of S. milltiorrhiza. The expression of miR156/157-targeted SmSPLs was increased with the maturation of S. miltiorrhiza, whereas the expression of miR156/157 was decreased, confirming the regulatory roles of miR156/157 in SmSPLs and suggesting the functions of SmSPLs in S. miltiorrhiza development. The expression of miR156/157 was negatively correlated with miR172 during the maturation of S. miltiorrhiza. The results indicate the significance and complexity of SmSPL-, miR156-, and miR172-mediated regulation of developmental timing in S. miltiorrhiza.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Development of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China; Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China; Qiannan Medical College for Nationalities, Duyun, 558003, China.
authors.forename: Linsu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Degang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Caili
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fenjuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Shanfa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D018745:Genome, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein domain; SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-likes; Salvia miltiorrhiza; miR156; miR172